Title -- Villagers slain: Survivor reveals massacre by rebels
Date -- 5 June 1996
Byline -- Timothy Masiu
Origin -- Asia-Pacific Network
Source -- The National (PNG), 5 June 1996
Copyright -- The National
Status -- Abridged
-----------------
VILLAGERS SLAIN
SURVIVOR REVEALS
MASSACRE BY REBELS
By Timothy Masiu
BUKA: Separatist rebels have massacred a group of villagers on the west
coast of Bougainville, a lone survivor said from his hospital bed.
John Kawas, who was admitted to Sohano Hospital with gunshot wounds to the
abdomen and left hand, said among those killed were village court magistrate
Peter Rerepere, his mother Erepie, Catholic clergyman Ivisia, a chief
Torivosi and two others.
The killings took place at Tohei village on Sunday as the villagers, who
were living in the Sipai Care Centre, were going home to attend to their
gardens.
The massacre report came as Bougainville Premier Theodore Miriung and
members of his transitional Government signed an agreement in Port Moresby
which promises greater autonomy for the province.
Also yesterday, the Solomon Islands government formally requested
compensation from Papua New Guinea, citing 18 incidents of border incursions
by PNG Defence Force personnel and nationals into its territory since March
this year.
Tohei village was abandoned some time ago with some inhabitants moving into
the Sipai Care Centre and others herded by the rebels into the jungle.
Mr Kawas said many of the villagers had been reluctant to move to Tohei
village but the catechist had insisted because he wanted to see if some
relatives were still there and to tend to gardens.
Saiud Mr Kawas: "When we arrived at the village, which is now abandoned,
Ivisia, who is the catechist, went inside his house.
"As soon as he got into the house, the rebels, who were hiding, shot him
dead and burned the house with the dead man inside.
"When I saw this I tried to run but the next shot hit me on my left hand. I
fell down and when I felt that I wasn't badly hurt I got up and ran.
"The rebels kept firing at me but because of the bush I managed to get away
>from them."
As he ran, he heard more shots and cries from others in the party.
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Title -- ADB blasts poor use of aid funds
Date -- 5 June 1996
Byline -- Tande Temane
Origin -- Asia-Pacific Network
Source -- The National (PNG), 5 June 1996
Copyright -- The National
Status -- Abridged
-----------------
ADB BLASTS POOR USE OF AID FUNDS
PORT MORESBY: The Asian Development Bank has criticised the poor use of
funds by Papua New Guinea.
By Tande Temane
ADB's project administration specialist for Pacific operations, Dr Ian
Powell, said yesterday PNG's implementation of loans had been poor with no
financial statements and reports sent to the bank on the progress of the
projects funded by the loans.
Dr Powell, who is attending the international consultation on the
establishment of the National Agriculture Research Institute, said there was
a lack of communication between the PNG government and ADB on use of loans.
The bank therefore had no idea which projects were implemented from the
loans provided.
In most cases, the bank's procedures and guidelines were also not followed
and as a result funds released for various projects were not utilised, he said.
Dr Powell said the government departments and agencies concerned did not
have the institutional capacity and projects in place to draw down the loans.
"When funds are still sitting there in the trust account without any
drawdowns during the period of the loan, the bank takes it back and the
money goes to other countries where it is needed," said Dr Powell.
He said PNG had missed opportunities to get some of its projects funded
through the ADB's 10-year concessional loan facility because of this poor
performance.
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Title -- PNG claims breakthrough amid border crisis
Date -- 5 June 1996
Byline -- David Robie
Origin -- Asia-Pacific Network
Source -- Radio Deutsche Welle (Radio Germany) transcript, 5 June 1996
Copyright -- APN
Status -- Unabridged
-------------------
PNG CLAIMS BREAKTHROUGH AMID BORDER CRISIS
Intro:
Amid reports of a massacre on Bougainville and compensation demands by the
neighbouring Solomon Islands over border raids, the Papua New Government
claims a major breakthrough in peace talks.
The government has agreed to grant "some autonomy" to the Bougainville
Transitional Government in talks between the two sides which excluded the
rebel Bougainville Revolutionary Army.
The talks came on the eve of the Melanesian Spearhead Group meeting in the
Trobriand Islands township of Losuia which is expected to consider the
Bougainville border crisis. David Robie reports:
Voice report:
Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan and Theodore Miriung, leader of the
Bougainville Transitional Government, have planted two pine trees at
Mirigini State House to mark what they claim is a breakthrough in the
eight-year-old civil war.
The PNG leader has agreed to grant "some autonomy" to the transitional
government.
But for political observers the claim rings hollow in the wake of several
incidents in the past few days which have dramatically raised the tension
over Bougainville.
The neighbouring Solomon Islands has demanded compensation for what it
claims have been 18 border raids by Papua New Guinea forces or nationals
allegedly pursuing rebels since the ceasefire was lifted in March.
It accused PNG of +provocative, aggressive and posturing armed harassment+
of border villages.
Sir Julius Chan retaliated by claiming the Solomon Islands government was
+turning a blind eye+ to border violations by Bougainville rebels.
A Bougainville Revolutionary Army spokesman, Moses Havini, denied reports
that rebel commander Ishmael Toroama had crossed the border into the Solomon
Islands. He accused the PNG military of using Toroama's alleged presence in
the Solomon islands to mount a major border raid and naval bombardments.
A report alleging systematic human rights violations by the PNG military was
released by Bougainvillean activists in Australia seeking self-determination.
And now a PNG daily newspaper has reported allegations of a massacre of at
least six people in a village by BRA rebels.
The paper, The National, published a front-page picture of a lone survivor
with gunshot wounds in his abdomen and left hand.
Speaking from his hospital bed at Sohano on Bougainville, survivor John
Kawas named a village court magistrate, Peter Rerepere , his mother Erepie,
Catholic catechist Ivisia, a chief, Torivosi, and two others as having been
killed at Tohei village on Sunday.
Mr Kawas said: +When we arrived at the village, which is now abandoned,
Ivisia, went inside his house.
+As soon as he got into the house, the rebels, who were hiding, shot him
dead and burned the house with the dead man inside.+
Mr Kawas told the newspaper he had tried to flee, but was wounded when the
rebels opened fire on him. However, he managed to escape into the bush.
Military conflict on Bougainville has escalated since Sir Julius abandoned
the ceasefire in March, declaring the BRA+s +darkest hour had come+.
PNG soldiers were alleged to have been ordered to kill civilians suspected
of harbouring rebels. Defence Minister Mathias Ijape threatened that the
Solomon Islands would be at risk if rebels continued to slip across the
narrow sea channel separating the two countries.
Solomon Islanders have ethnic and cultural ties with Bougainvilleans and
often sympathise with their struggle.
Last week+s report alleging atrocities by PNG soldiers also claimed offences
against Bougainvilleans living abroad.
Among the victims cited was a Bougainvillean leader, Martin Miriori, who
survived an arson attack on his home in the Solomons capital of Honiara in
February.
Mr Miriori was forced to flee with his family last month to the Netherlands
where he has now become a Dutch citizen.
Meanwhile, leaders and officials of the Melanesian Spearhead Group +
including the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea + have gathered in the
Trobriand Islands resort of Losuia for a crucial meeting expected to discuss
the border crisis.
David Robie
in Port Moresby
for Radio Deutsche Welle
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sydney Morning Herald 6 June, 1996
==================================
TENSIONS RISE OVER SOLOMON RAIDS
by Greg Roberts
The Federal Government has expressed concern to Papua New Guinea over
incursions by its soldiers into the Solomon Islands.
Relations between the Melanesian neighbours are deteriorating, with three
intrusions by PNG military into Solomon Islands waters in the past week in
pursuit of rebels of the separatist Bougainville Revolutionary Army.
In the most serious incident, Honiara alleges PNG soldiers fired on the
village of Liuliug from an Australian-supplied patrol boat. There were no
reports of casualties.
The Australian High Commission in Port Moresby has asked the PNG Government
for an explanation of the raids.
A spokesman for the Minister for Defence, Mr McLachlan, said the Government
was "concerned about indications that the international border has not been
respected".
A report by the Sydney-based Bougainville Freedom Movement released last
week alleged Australian-supplied Iroquois helicopters had been used in five
military assaults on civilian targets during the past 12
months.
Soldiers allegedly fired machine-guns and grenade launchers from the
helicopters in attacks on the villages of Siipi, Oria and Membra, and near
the town of Lehu.
Revelations of similar helicopter attacks in 1992 prompted the Keating
Government to warn they were not to be used as military platforms in an
offensive capacity.
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Contact Details:
================
Vikki John (BFM) +61-2-558-2730 email: V.john at uts.edu.au
Moses Havini (BIG) +61-2-804-7602
Max Watts +61-2-818-2343 email: MWATTS at fisher.biz.usyd.edu.au
(Journalist specialising in Bougainville, East Timor and West Papua issues)
Bougainville Freedom Movement
P.O. Box 134, Erskineville, NSW 2043, Australia
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regards Sasha
Sasha Baer
International Amateur Radio Network
Bougainville Freedom Movement
Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol
Voicemail: +61-2-513-5614
sashab at wr.com.auhttp://www.wr.com.au/sashab/
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